All About Glutathione
Glutathione (GSH) is a powerful antioxidant that plays a critical role in maintaining our health. It is a very important molecule, working in every cell of our bodies where most of its efforts go to maintaining homeostasis and protecting us from oxidative stress.
To understand the importance of glutathione, we must understand cell redox. Cell redox is a shortened term for Cellular Reduction and Oxidation. This occurs when cells lose (reduction) or gain (oxidation) electrons. These reactions are happening constantly throughout the body. They allow us to break down our food into usable energy, regulate the life/death cycles of different cells, supply helpful immune reactions, and much more.
The processes of cell redox create unused molecules of oxygen that have an unpaired electron. These are called reactive oxygen species or “free radicals”.
Since electrons are more stable in pairs, free radicals roam the body, looking for other unpaired electrons to join. Some free radical activity is helpful but if they are not managed effectively, these molecules will disrupt normal cell functions and damage cells, proteins, and DNA. If left unchecked, this can cause a great deal of harm. We call this imbalance oxidative stress.
